Typekit was an online service that allowed users to access a variety of fonts. Thus, with the help of Typekit, users were not limited to the stock font that usually came with Windows or any other OS. When it was launched back in 2009 by Small Batch Inc., it was a subscription-based service. Small Batch Inc. was a company operated by the very same people who brought Google Analytics to the market.
In 2011, Adobe acquired Typekit. At that point in time, Typekit was one of the most popular font-providing services in the market. It was in 2018 that Adobe finally decided to rebrand the service as Adobe Fonts. With an industry giant such as Adobe acquiring and adding to the font library of Typekit, it soon became one of the most popular places to source fonts. Today, the font libraries of Typekit (Adobe Fonts) contain over 20,000 that are licensed for commercial as well as personal use. These fonts can be accessed via Creative Cloud Subscriptions.
Every now and then, we begin working on a project that requires something special. For projects like these, we cannot settle on the stock fonts that are used by everyone who has access to a PC. Projects such as these include brand development or an art project, etc. In such cases, we must go beyond the stock fonts and find the perfect fit. That’s where Typekit/Adobe Fonts comes in. We’ll tell you all about how to download fonts from Typekit or Adobe Fonts. But before that, let’s get a brief idea of what this art behind picking the right fonts is all about.
What is Typography
Typography is no less than an artform. It is all about making the text more legible, attractive, and aesthetic. Without a proper understanding of typography, there is no way a web designer can produce a decent website. Moreover, almost all digital artists cross paths with this art form at some point in their careers. The history of typography can be dated back to the 11th century. Back then, the moving type was invented by Bi Sheng. Each letter was assigned a standard design, and that design was used throughout the text. Thus, consistency, which is the basis of typography was achieved.
400 years later, the printing revolution which was brought about by the invention of the printing press in 1440 breathed new life into the art of typography. Thousands of books being printed meant that there had to be consistent typefaces. That’s how fonts became mainstream. Fast forward to the late 20th century and there were a variety of fonts being displayed on computer screens. The digital revolution consolidated the art of typography. Today, typography is considered essential to branding, digital art, and the business world in general. To illustrate this point with one example – one simply cannot use a font like ‘Chiller’ in a business document. On the other hand, a font like ‘Times New Roman’ will probably not be used in a children’s book.
Although, typography is a nuanced art form, the fundamentals of it are quite simple. There are 8 universal elements of typography – typeface, color, hierarchy, consistency, alignment, white space, and contrast. Elaborating on all of them will probably be a lengthy process, so let’s stick to the basic ones:
Typeface – The typeface is the style and structure of the font. For instance, consider a letter that is displayed in the font ‘Sans Serif’. It will have its own geometrical shape and a distinct style to it. That’s what is meant by the typeface. It is also used as a synonym for the font.
Color – In typography, color is of great importance. Colors are the first thing that any viewer of a typeface will notice. That’s why brands make use of their own distinctly-colored typefaces. Coupled with the iconic typeface of Mcdonalds’, the color yellow will automatically invoke the image of the brand for any viewer. Thus, the brand’s outlet becomes identifiable from a long-range.
White Space – White space or negative space is referred to the void space that appears in the text. To understand what exactly white space is, you can type a four-letter word in a word document. Once you’ve typed it up, select it using the mouse. You will notice that some space around the word as well as inside it is also selected that is not taken up by the typeface. This is referred to as whitespace.
All of the aforementioned elements play a big role in the art of typography. These elements along with the remaining five can either make or break a written text’s aesthetics.
The Importance of Typography
The importance of typography cannot be understated. It’s one of the most important art forms for marketing professionals. In this digital age with heightened competition, every brand has to establish itself in its own unique way. For that, every brand requires a unique identity that speaks to its customer base as well as the targeted audience. Using the write typography techniques and creating a unique visual element with it is essential for a potent digital marketing campaign.
Not only will you be using it to establish your brand’s unique identity in the virtual world but also in the physical world. Your customers and audience, in general, should associate your typeface with your brand. In order for that to happen, make sure that you choose a custom typeface that is in line with the soul of your brand. If your brand has a quirky aura to it, your typeface should have that too. Alternatively, if your brand is deep into the corporate world, you will have to make use of a formal yet unique typeface that will only be associated with your brand in the market. Here are several reasons why typography is still relevant and important in the 21st century:
– Digital Art: After the digitization of the world, quite a few artists have moved to the online world. From graphics designers who started making amazing art with their tools to novelists who print in both mediums, all revere and depend upon typography. For instance, a piece of digital art such as a comic will require a certain type of font to actually get its entertainment value or message across. On the other hand, a novelist or blogger can make use of different typefaces that transmit different meanings or voices. For instance, one font can represent the thoughts of one particular character. On the other hand, another font can represent the thoughts of another character. There is a myriad of possibilities when it comes to the creative use of typography.
– Business: As mentioned before, typography also plays a huge role in marketing and branding. Without creativity in typography, there is no way for brands to carve out an identity for themselves. Apart from that, it is not only businesses that make use of different typefaces. In Academia, certain fonts are compulsory to help establish the credibility of research papers and thesis. Almost every organization, brand, or field has its own norms when it comes to fonts.
If you’re still figuring out the visual elements of your brand, it’s best that you consult with a designer who has good knowledge of typography. That way, you will be able to get the best typeface made. And it will not only be in line with the spirit of your brand but will also speak to your audience.
How to download fonts from Typekit (Adobe Fonts)
It’s pretty simple to figure out how to download fonts from Typekit or Adobe Fonts. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to download fonts from Typekit (Adobe Fonts):
– The first step will be to download Adobe Creative Cloud and install it. As Typekit is now Adobe Font, you will have to download this application in order to use Typekit’s original library of fonts.
– Once that is done, open up the app and activate the fonts there. You can either browse the library of fonts on the Adobe Creative Cloud app or search for your own preferred font. If you can’t find the exact font you’re looking for, you can search the library using filters and tags provided by Adobe. For instance, you can search for gothic fonts or Japanese-styled fonts. That way, you’ll easily be able to find the font that is suitable for your project.
– Make sure that you have subscribed to a Creative Cloud plan in order to enjoy over twenty thousand fonts. If not, you can browse the basic font library that comprises around 1000 fonts.
– Once the fonts have been activated, you can use them in a variety of Adobe apps and even in Microsoft and iWork apps. In essence, once activated, you’ll have those fonts on your system and can use them almost everywhere.
There’s not much to activating fonts in the Creative Cloud app. Its UI is quite user-friendly and you’ll easily be able to navigate your own way on it. Thus, you won’t have any problem figuring out how to download fonts from TypeKit (Adobe Fonts).
Conclusion
With the guide above, you will have no issue figuring out how to download fonts from Typekit. Once you’ve got the gist of it, you can enjoy experimenting with thousands of fonts available on the Creative Cloud application.
